The museums of Mykonos, the island from a cultural point of view

Mykonos has a surprisingly long history: few remains have been found on the island dating back to ancient Greece, when it was largely overshadowed by its two much smaller neighbours, Delos and Rhenaeus (Rinia).

Delos, the mythical birthplace of Apollo and Artemis, was the more prosperous of the two, a sanctuary that spread throughout the Greek world and a thriving commercial centre. Much less well known, yet right next to Delos, Rhenaeus was also home to an active community, with direct links to the city of Delos: agriculture and, above all, childbirth and burial!

Decrees were promulgated to purify the sanctuary of Delos dedicated to Apollo, banning all births and deaths on the sacred island. As a result, the Delians were born in Rhenaeus, which also welcomed their dead.

The Archaeological Museum of Mykonos retraces part of the history of Rhenaeus. It houses many of the funerary remains found on the island (Delos has its own archaeological museum), as well as a number of finds from Mykonos itself. The museum's centrepiece is the 'Pithos of Mykonos', an enormous amphora dating from the 7th century BC, with engravings recounting episodes from the Trojan War.

Considered Mykonos' major cultural institution, the Archaeological Museum is prominently located on the old port of Chora, in a beautiful building dating from the early 20th century, and frequently organises temporary exhibitions.

With the emergence of tourism, Mykonos quickly became one of the busiest islands in the Cyclades, surpassed only by Santorini. Before that, life on Mykonos was nothing like it is today!

The beautiful beaches of the south were deserted, attracting little attention from the locals... Chora, the capital, was just another small Cycladic village, revolving around the activity of its fishing port, known today as 'Old Port'. Elsewhere, there was some livestock farming and agriculture.

As you stroll through the Mykonian countryside, you'll notice the ancient terraces and crumbling drystone walls, as well as the impressive number of small chapels that bear witness to the island's ancestral practices.

Right in the heart of Chora, in the historic Kastro district, it's very easy to pass by the Folklore Museum without noticing it: it's often closed! Just a stone's throw from the popular Panagia Paraportiani church and Little Venice, it occupies an old house that once belonged to a local shipowner.

The museum's collections focus on the popular culture of Mykonos through a wide variety of period objects: antique Cycladic and Venetian furniture, ceramics, photographs, engravings, prints, clothing, fabrics and embroidery, as well as keys, weights and all those little objects used in everyday life by the island's inhabitants. A short but moving visit!

As we have said, for a long time Mykonos made a meagre living from agriculture. Thanks to its position exposed to the wind, windmills(anemomilos in Greek) were built on the island as early as the 16th century, a technique imported to the Cyclades by the Venetians. Today, windmills have become one of the great symbols of Mykonos, appearing on many postcards!

The Agriculture Museum operates in conjunction with the Folklore Museum, of which it is a branch. It is housed in the Bonis Mill, which overlooks the whole of Chora from its heights, a lovely period stone structure that has been fully restored (and is still in working order!).

The mill takes its name from its last owner, the miller Giorgos Bonis: a veritable open-air museum, the central elements of Mykonos' past agricultural life are still present, including the threshing floor, the well, the dovecote, the wine press and the wood-fired oven... everything needed to produce bread and wine in the traditional way.

As an added bonus, you can enjoy a superb view of the sea and the Mykonos sunset from the Bonis Mill: a must!